by our College Data Analytics TeamGet the facts about Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Learn how it ranks, what majors it offers, how diverse it is, and much more.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute awards degrees and credentials ranging from bachelor’s degrees up to its highest offering, the doctor’s degree - research/scholarship.
| Degree Level | Offered |
|---|---|
| Certificate | — |
| Associate | — |
| Bachelor’s | ✓ |
| Master’s | ✓ |
| Doctorate | ✓ |
Completions: 2,494 undergraduate · 1,072 graduate (3,566 total)
Here are the majors that graduate the most students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
| Most Popular Majors | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Multi-Disciplinary Studies | 1,783 |
| Computer Science. | 259 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | 194 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. | 120 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | 119 |
These majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute report the highest average early-career salaries for their graduates.
| Highest-Paying Majors | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | $85,812 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $78,367 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians. | $76,042 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. | $72,826 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | $71,333 |
The majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are organized below by area of study, with graduates, average salary, and specializations for each.
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Disciplinary Studies | 1,783 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering. | 194 | $68,043 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. ↳ Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General. |
120 | $67,387 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering. ↳ Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering. |
104 | $63,784 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. ↳ Electrical and Electronics Engineering. |
84 | $72,826 |
| Chemical Engineering. | 70 | $66,991 |
| Civil Engineering. ↳ Civil Engineering, General. · Transportation and Highway Engineering. |
70 | $67,165 |
| Systems Engineering. | 29 | NA |
| Materials Engineering. | 25 | $67,716 |
| Nuclear Engineering. | 25 | $70,021 |
| Industrial Engineering. | 21 | $65,458 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering. | 17 | NA |
| Manufacturing Engineering. | 6 | NA |
| Engineering Science. | 5 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 259 | $85,812 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. ↳ Information Technology. · Artificial Intelligence. |
56 | $78,367 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. ↳ Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other. · Business Statistics. · Management Science. |
119 | $71,333 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. ↳ Business Administration and Management, General. · Organizational Leadership. · Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management. |
90 | $56,988 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations. ↳ Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. |
1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics. ↳ Mathematics, General. |
59 | $67,066 |
| Applied Mathematics. ↳ Financial Mathematics. · Applied Mathematics, General. |
33 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Physics. ↳ Physics, General. · Physics, Other. |
48 | $42,448 |
| Chemistry. ↳ Chemistry, General. |
19 | NA |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics. ↳ Astronomy. |
2 | NA |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. ↳ Geology/Earth Science, General. |
1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture. | 56 | $52,282 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology. ↳ Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology. |
12 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians. ↳ Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician. |
60 | $76,042 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. ↳ Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other. |
25 | $46,292 |
| Biology, General. ↳ Biology/Biological Sciences, General. |
20 | NA |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences. ↳ Neuroscience. |
8 | NA |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology. ↳ Bioinformatics. |
6 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts. ↳ Game and Interactive Media Design. |
45 | $46,471 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General. | 9 | NA |
| Music. ↳ Music Theory and Composition. |
2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Science. ↳ Cognitive Science, General. |
19 | NA |
| Science, Technology and Society. | 5 | NA |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. ↳ Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. |
4 | $64,983 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 3 | NA |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES. ↳ Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies. |
1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs. ↳ Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies. |
14 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 11 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Communication, General. ↳ Communication, General. · Speech Communication and Rhetoric. |
9 | NA |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. ↳ Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia. |
1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Economics. ↳ Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. |
9 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. ↳ Environmental Science. |
4 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy. | 3 | NA |
Footnotes
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.